| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: tempted me. I cannot bear to leave this empty world without at least
attempting to gather the flowers that it owes me,--whether I perish in
the attempt or not. But remember, for the honor of my memory, that had
I ever been a happy woman, the sight of their great knife, ready to
fall upon my neck, would not have driven me to accept a part in this
tragedy--for it is a tragedy. But now," she said, with a gesture of
disgust, "if it were countermanded, I should instantly fling myself
into the Sarthe. It would not be destroying life, for I have never
lived."
"Oh, Saint Anne of Auray, forgive her!"
"What are you so afraid of? You know very well that the dull round of
The Chouans |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce: one of his hands on the gravel, restored him, and he wept
with delight. He dug his fingers into the sand, threw it
over himself in handfuls and audibly blessed it. It looked
like diamonds, rubies, emeralds; he could think of nothing
beautiful which it did not resemble. The trees upon the bank
were giant garden plants; he noted a definite order in their
arrangement, inhaled the fragrance of their blooms. A
strange roseate light shone through the spaces among their
trunks and the wind made in their branches the music of
AEolian harps. He had not wish to perfect his escape -- he
was content to remain in that enchanting spot until retaken.
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: which fancy can picture better than words can paint. But at this
particular spot a deep silence reigned, because in these two houses
lived two passions which never rejoiced. Beyond them stretched the
silent country. Beneath the shadow of the steeples of Saint-Martin,
these two mute dwellings, separated from the others in the same street
and standing at the crooked end of it, seemed afflicted with leprosy.
The building opposite to them, the home of the criminals of the State,
was also under a ban. A young man would be readily impressed by this
sudden contrast. About to fling himself into an enterprise that was
horribly hazardous, it is no wonder that the daring young seigneur
stopped short before the house of the silversmith, and called to mind
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